Oasis in the Sand  The Forgotten Moments
by PeregrineFlight
Summary: The future, how it could have ended, the forgotten moments and everything in between
1. Chips and Dip

_So here's one of the first outtakes from Oasis in the Sand; I didn't include it in the end because it was a little bit unnecessary, and the story advanced a little more suddenly than i was expecting so there was no chance for it_

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><p>Sakura was a legendary kunoichi, in many ways, her strength, her unrivalled medical jutsu and even her appearance. There was one lesser known legend about Sakura.<p>

In Konoha Sakura's cooking was famous. It was said that the only tool she used in the kitchen was a kunai and that when she cooks the Hokage knows, and immediately heads for the border.

Maybe infamous is a better word.

People had hoped that during her training Shizune might have given her some culinary tips, because she made some of the most delicious meals in the hidden leaf.

But the only advice Sakura had ever received was from Tsunade, who had told her that; "everything tastes fine with sake" and "if you have enough money to buy food then you have enough money to have someone make dinner for you."

So when Kankuro came into his office and told Gaara that Sakura was hard at work in the kitchen and asked why she only seemed to be using ninja tools, Gaara very nearly panicked.

Naruto had warned him that there was a reason Sakura had earned the nickname 'chips-and-dip'.

He made his way down to the kitchen to see the scene for himself.

She really was hard at work. When he entered she was cutting up some unknown vegetation with her kunai. She glanced up as he entered grinning widely at him.

"I was hoping you'd come down for dinner."

An odd smell hit his nose and he approached the stove. The rice was burning, and there was some odd kind of herb in it. There was also some kind of meat, skewered on some senbon, cooking over the open flame of the hob.

He inspected the other two pots, one of them seemed to be some kind of sweet and sour curry... stuff and the other contained an odd variety of boiling vegetables.

He didn't dare inspect the contents of the oven.

With a small, internal sigh Gaara took the rice off the heat. "Sakura, what are you doing?"

She turned back to him frowning at the pot he had removed from the stove.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Burning the rice." He told her bluntly. "Making a sauce that looks and smells inedible," He lifted the lid of the sauce pot again, wrinkling his nose. "And setting some meat on fire." He added as an afterthought, when the meat on the senbon started burning.

She snatched the meat before it was completely incinerated. "Well excuse me for doing something nice as a surprise. Next time I won't bother."

Frowning, Gaara put the pot of rice in the sink. Sakura was extremely intelligent, she must realise that this food wasn't good.

"Do you really believe that this food is edible Sakura?" He asked, folding his arms across his chest, leaning against the counter. "Don't you realise people are actively afraid of your cooking?"

Suddenly a bright grin spread across her face.

"Oh I know." She chuckled at his expression. "You're the first person to tell me to my face, but I know." She turned off the hob with another little laugh. "I've always known I can't cook, but everyone always told me the food was good. So I decided to torture them with it."

Gaara felt an incredulous smile spread across his lips. "You're evil." Grabbing her hand he pulled her close.

"I prefer the term devious." She pouted, gripping his shirt gently.

The oven pinged and she flushed. "Yeah that would be the pork stuffed with noodles." Breaking his grip, she turned the oven off and turned to the fridge. "You know there's always been one thing I know how to make."

She turned away from the fridge, holding something Gaara could easily recognise.

"Fudge cake."


	2. Late Reports and Ten Years On

_Ten years after the attack on Suna._

There had been a long peace reining over the five great shinobi nations over the last decade.

Sakura could not have been happier with the peace. She had often worried what would happen when she got around to having children; would there be war? Would there be a chance that one day there would be no parents to take care of them?

Either way Sakura was glad that her precious Izumi had lived the first seven years of her life in relative peace.

The little girl in question was currently at the academy. She was already ahead of her class something that Kankuro had grudgingly said wasn't really surprising when you consider her parents; her father who was arguably the strongest Kazekage yet, and her mother, who was probably the best medic in the shinobi world, a kunoichi on a par with Lady Tsunade herself.

Sakura was currently in Gaara's office, calmly sipping her tea while Gaara flipped through a huge stack of overdue mission reports and new mission scrolls. She'd clocked off from her office in the ambassadorial offices early, because she'd finished all her paper work. She'd also been turned away at the hospital because there was just nothing for her to do there.

It was the first time in what seemed like forever that she had nothing to do while Gaara still had heaps of work left.

She smiled sympathetically as her husband sighed and rubbed his temples, moving on to the next report. She made a mental note to start threatening the people who were handing in their reports so late; none of the Jounin in Suna were brave enough to deny the wife of the Kazekage, even if they had the gall to hand their reports in late.

She placed her tea on the desk carefully before she made her way around the desk. Standing behind his chair she placed her cool hands on his shoulders, gently working at the tension in his shoulders.

He exhaled deeply, leaning his head back against her chest as she worked. His eyes were closed as he took a moment to enjoy the impromptu massage.

"I'm sorry about this Sakura, I know I said I'd spend the evening with you and Izumi, but -" she hushed him.

Stepping back slightly, she allowed his head to tilt back further so that she could place her lips on his in an odd upside down kiss. The fingers of her left hand stroked his jaw while her other hand strayed down to his chest.

She broke the kiss to place a delicate little kiss on his nose. "You know I always used to help Lady Tsunade and Naruto with paper work." She pointed out with a small smile. She made to straighten up but he caught her arm pulling her down for another one of those oddly sensual upside down kisses. His other hand found the back of her neck and her fingers tightened on his shirt, making his stomach flutter.

A knock had them both scowling at the door.

One of the Jounin that Sakura recognised stepped in. He eyed the way Sakura's hand still lingered on Gaara's chest uncomfortably before he spoke. "I have a mission report for you Kazekage-sama."

Gaara took it glancing at the date with a slight frown. "This report is over two weeks overdue." He pointed out.

"Yes, sorry about that Kazekage-sama."

Gaara noticed Sakura reading the mission report over his shoulder with what seemed to be a practised eye.

"It took you two weeks to write this piece of nonsense?" She bit out suddenly. Gaara suppressed a smirk. The Jounin paled. "With it being over two weeks overdue I'd expect an epic thirty page melodrama that describes every step, thought and emotion. This seems to be less than a page and is so vague you may as well have not bothered."

"With all due respect..." He began but she cut across him. Gaara gripped her arm to stop her actually attacking the poor guy.

"No. You are showing absolutely no respect at all," she gestured to the desk. "You see all these reports, they're all over due just like yours. The reason you're given deadlines is so that they don't all get handed in at the end of the month leaving the Kazekage swamped in reports." Her eyes narrowed. "And I've seen better reports written by Genin, it's not good enough."

"Y-yes I'm sorry Sakura-sama, it won't happen again."

She smiled brightly a sharp contrast to the scowl she'd been wearing just a moment before. "Good, tell all your friends." He nodded and vanished from the room. After a pause she pressed her lips to his cheek and sat herself on the arm of his chair. "Now let's see if we can get these reports finished before I have to go pickup Izumi."

He gazed at her for a long moment, watching as she picked up the closest report examining it before stamping it and putting it aside. Before she could pick up the next one he grabbed her by her waist and pulled her onto his lap, twisting her slightly so that he could reach her lips with his.

His kiss was heated but tender, and after a few moments he pulled back a little, one hand stroking her cheek gently. He made a small, contented noise.

"I love you." He informed her softly. It was ten years since she'd said those words to him. He felt bad that it had taken him so long to get around to saying it.

She gave him a little smug smile before another smile took its place. It was that same smile that she'd worn the first time she'd held Izumi. That smile wasn't a huge grin, it was understated, just the slight upward curve of her lips. But it sparkled in her eyes.

That was a look of pure, unadulterated happiness.

She pressed her lips against the kanji on his forehead before turning back to the desk.

Glancing back at him for a brief moment that slight smugness had returned.

"I know."

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><p><em>heeeee so I know people would want a little bit of love back from gaara, even if it is like seriously late!<em>


End file.
